Department of Comparative Literature (Cancelled)

*** This event has been cancelled. ***

Gender / Diversity / Democracy: Come Liberate Hong Kong, Pepe

Date: Monday, 10 February 2019
Time: 6:30-8 PM
Venue: 4.36, 4/F, Run Run Shaw Tower, Centennial Campus, HKU

Speaker: Katrien Jacobs, Associate Professor, Department of Cultural and Religious Studies, CUHK

Moderator: Tim Gruenewald, Assistant Professor, American Studies, HKU

Pepe the Frog as a mascot of the global alt-right and male supremacist hate wars has been liberated by the Hong Kong anti-extradition protest movement and its pro-democracy ideology. What are some of the reasons that this mascot figure has crossed political frontlines and what does it now mean to liberate Hong Kong? In this talk I will explain how USA and EU far-right netizens and activists have made great efforts to hijack and rebrand online imagery and personas within a Gramscian quest for cultural hegemony. I also critically ponder if the re-hijacked mascot personifies collectivism or elitism, inclusivity or xenophobia, gender freedom or machismo within the Hong Kong protest culture.

Please register at forms.gle/ANCqipWs5bRwaQzr5

For enquiries, please contact Christine Vicera at viceracn@hku.hk